Two Versions
There’s a lot to say about the design of the new Nissan Leaf. The taillights in particular deserve extra attention. They seem to only be on the top version as Nissan presented them.
The new Nissan Leaf is something quite different from its predecessor. The third-generation Leaf is no longer a traditionally shaped five-door hatchback, but a cross-over with a roofline that slopes steeply from the B-pillar. As usual with the presentation of a new model, Nissan presented us with the new Leaf in the most richly equipped variant. The lower-positioned versions look different, especially at the rear, as it turns out.
The new Nissan Leaf made its public debut in the two-tone color scheme Seabreeze Blue Pearl and Super Black, with the roof of course in black. As far as Nissan showed, the Leaf has a black panel at the rear housing the taillights. These taillights consist of horizontal elements in the tailgate and vertical parts in the bodywork. The Nissan Leaf seems to only get those taillights and the black mask in the top version.
The simplest and middle version have a simpler rear than the top version (right).
On the American website of Nissan, the brand already shows the Leaf in three versions. The range starts there with the S+ (photos 1 to 17), followed by the SV+ (photos 17 to 20) and top version Platinum+ (photos 21 to 34). The S+ and SV+ do not wear the black ‘mask’ on the rear. But there is more. There is also no lighting in the tailgate and the outer – and on these versions only – parts of the taillights do not consist of the three vertical LED elements, but of two simpler-looking horizontal parts. The extensive lighting that Nissan calls ‘3D Holographic Taillights’ is reserved for the top version in the United States.
Of course, there are more differences between the versions. For example, the entry-level S+ stands on steel 18-inch wheels with hubcaps and that variant has two 12.3-inch displays in the interior. This variant is not available in two-tone color scheme. The middle version (SV+) does have light metal in the size 18 inches and gets two 14.3-inch screens in its interior. Top version Platinum+ includes 19-inch wheels, an electrochromatic dimmable panoramic roof and an extensive audio system from Bose.
To what extent the new Nissan Leaf will also be available in the Netherlands with the simpler-looking rear, remains to be seen. In any case, it is certain that the versions here will be called differently.